


I'll Say These Words In A Song

by Midori__99



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, ChanSoo - Freeform, Healing, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, It's hugely music based and i basically shared my own playlist, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Musical References, Original Character(s), Past Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Past Relationship(s), Romance, There is a bit of HunHan too, a lot of musical references actually, playlists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 07:37:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18406109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midori__99/pseuds/Midori__99
Summary: Maybe Chanyeol's love for garage rock and indie music finally got rewarded when listening to Arctic Monkeys and taking night walks led to meeting the person that would heal his heart and let him heal the other too.In simple terms, they found mutual love that bloomed from the exchange of playlists and sharing lyrics when their own words failed.





	I'll Say These Words In A Song

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy, folks! I know I shouldn't be posting a new fic when I have an ongoing one but this is a special something I wrote for EXO's 7th Anniversary (I feel so emo T^T). It's something I'm actually sort of proud of and put a looooooot of effort in (I had to scrounge up my entire playlist just to find the suitable songs and believe me when I say I listen to too much music plus I have a huge playlist) so I hope you guys like it. It took so much time and effort that I skipped classes for the whole of 8th and wrote the whole day but still didn't manage to finish it and hence, I'm updating a day late.
> 
> Also, I know I left out Tao and I feel horrible but I had no idea how to fit him in. Please forgive me guys! I'll definitely write a Tao appreciation fic one day to make up for it. And also, I've talked a lot about The 1975 because it was also Matthew Healy's birthday on the 8th as well as SHINee's Jonghyun (but same problem as Tao, I did't know how to fit him in) And the fic deals with a few sensitive topics so please forgive me if I got them wrong. Oh, and of course the asshole ex of Chanyeol's is an original character. I can't ever write unpleasantly about any EXO member.
> 
> Anyway, enough blabber. Go ahead and read and do give me kudos and reviews if you think i deserve them. And I put the names of the songs in the end notes so check them out if you want to.

It was a decision to take therapeutic measures to get himself going again from the recent events that had more or less broken him. Chanyeol found comfort in the night walks he had begun taking, with his earphones plugged in and his trusty old iPod shuffling through his favorite playlist and drowning out the rest of the world. He was grateful for Sehun being the stubborn brat that he was. If it hadn’t been for his roommate who was two years younger than him but yet managed to boss him around, he would’ve probably been holed up in his room for even longer, refusing to eat properly and wallowing in his self-pity.

The advantage of studying in a fully residential university was getting access to the huge sprawling campus that housed the place that would supposedly help shape every individual’s future. Chanyeol began truly appreciating being a student to that particular institute as he walked in a steady pace bobbing his head now and again to a good rock song that played. The playlist shuffled and played The 1975’s Somebody Else and he couldn’t help but bitterly think about how Matthew Healy was basically singing about Chanyeol’s own life at the moment. He shook his head and changed the song, chiding himself for not focusing on healing.

It was on the fourth evening of his therapeutic walking sessions when he came across someone who caught his curious eye. The guy was short, small even and wore a cap low over his eyes. Similar to Chanyeol, he had earphones plugged in and shut out the rest of the world. He was clad in complete black which made him seem even more invisible than he was already trying to be. The only bit about him that was visible to Chanyeol were his plump full lips. He walked rapidly and passed by Chanyeol without sparing a glance. Chanyeol as well refused to bother about it and continued with his own walk.

It started intriguing him only when he passed by the guy every time he came out to walk after that. Nobody really walked at that time of the night. It was only Chanyeol and the mysterious boy plodding along in the deserted campus streets that normally brimmed with life during the day time. Chanyeol figured that the other boy had noticed him too, because his rapid steps always slowed down a little when he passed by the former. Sometimes he caught the boy’s face tilting slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of the other’s face from under the low bill of the cap he wore. Chanyeol wanted to talk to the boy. But he never did. They walked past each other, drowned in their music.

It was after another week of just walking past that Chanyeol considered a development taking place. The boy got rid of the hat he always wore and his youthful face was exposed in full glory for the first time. Chanyeol’s breath caught in his throat when he saw him walking hatless for the first time, big beautiful eyes staring straight ahead with a slight furrow to the brows and a cute button nose. Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile at him in greeting and his heart skipped a beat when the guy smiled back. When he went back to the room that night, the image of the boy smiling was seared in his mind. He’d already thought the boy had pretty lips but Chanyeol hadn’t expected the heart that bloomed on his face when he smiled. He spent time tossing and turning instead of going to sleep, thinking more about the boy than he had anticipated himself to.

The next night the boy crossed Chanyeol’s path, he had glasses perched on his nose and Chanyeol thought he couldn’t get any cuter. He once again gave his heart-shaped smile and nodded in his direction and Chanyeol was left internally screaming in his path. He really wanted to talk to him but something held him back.

A whole month passed with the two walking by each other without initiating a single conversation, only exchanging smiles and nods, and Chanyeol’s frustration grew. By this time, Sehun had already come to know of his infatuation with the “Boy from his Night Walks” from Chanyeol’s endless gushing about how cute he was and he never skipped a day from repeatedly calling the older a “spineless sissy”. Chanyeol knew Sehun meant well but he would never understand. Chanyeol in fact knew well what held him back. It was going to take him longer to bounce back and start trusting someone no matter how strong the attraction. The person he’d once trusted the most had brutally betrayed him after all.

It was a very unexpected and lucky incident that caused the two to start their first conversation. Chanyeol was in a good mood that day and he swayed about dramatically to the catchy beats of Fluorescent Adolescent as well as sang the words out loud. He had his eyes closed and oblivious to the rest of the world. So when he felt a tap on his arm and opened his eyes to come face to face with the boy from all his nightly endeavors staring intently at him with a sparkling glint to his eyes, Chanyeol couldn’t help but be taken aback. He fumbled with his iPod and paused the song when he realized the guy was trying to tell him something, and prompted the guy to speak again.

“Do you like Arctic Monkeys?”

Chanyeol’s breath was knocked out of his lungs when he realized how deep the boy’s voice was. His musically hyperactive brain helpfully supplied that his voice resonated as deeply as Marko Saaresto’s voice did and he wondered if he would sound good singing any Poets of the Fall song. Then he realized the boy had asked a question and the proper response would be to say something and so he did. “Uh, yeah.”

The boy gave his heart-shaped smile in return and shyly held out his own iPod for Chanyeol to see. He only had to glance once to catch sight of the white sound wave of AM’s album art stand out prominently against the black background. Now playing: Knee Socks by the Arctic Monkeys. Chanyeol suddenly felt like he was floating. He and the boy stared at each other for a few seconds in absolute silence before Chanyeol decided cautiously to test and see if the boy was as big a fan of garage rock as he was. “You only live once.”

“The Strokes,” the boy answered immediately almost as if he had been expecting Chanyeol to ask the question. Then it was his turn to look at the other as if he was sizing him up. “Icky Thumb.”

“The White Stripes,” the answer escaped Chanyeol’s lips before he even realized he had answered. An unnamed excitement took off in his heart and he immediately dived into the next song title his mind chose. “Rest My Chemistry.”

“Interpol,” the boy’s smile was getting wider now. “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo.”

“Black Rebel Motorcycle Club,” Chanyeol answered with gusto and a surprised laugh. He hadn’t expected this at all, him and the mysterious boy sharing the mutual love for so many bands. Chanyeol hardly found people anymore who even listened to garage rock all that much. Sehun never listened to anything other than mainstream hip hop.

The boy apparently thought the same if the full grin on his face was anything to go by. He held out a firm hand. “Do Kyungsoo.”  

“Park Chanyeol,” Chanyeol took the offered hand with an equally wide grin and a giddy heart. He couldn’t believe this was happening

“Maybe we can talk after we find somewhere good to sit?” 

..................

The next few days (or nights) passed a million times better than his past three months had, and Chanyeol began looking forward to his nightly walks even more. He and Kyungsoo met on the crossroads now and walked side by side talking about all the other bands they both listened to as well as discovering newer music the other had not known. Chanyeol found out Kyungsoo also had an unparalleled love for synth indie bands and in return he let the fact be known that he himself love indie rock, or rock of any sort. They discussed the new album the Arctic Monkeys had released and debated on how much they liked it over AM. Chanyeol almost completely forgot that for the past three months he had been nursing a heartbreak. It was amazing, the kind of therapeutic effect Kyungsoo had on him. Before long, the two of them had begun exchanging iPods and their playlists.

Sehun commented on the fact that Chanyeol looked so much rosier and so much more alive every time he came back from his night walks and Chanyeol realized the change in him had probably been greater than he had expected.

“Have you guys been doing things that I didn’t know about?” Sehun accused with suspicion is his voice and waggling eyebrows. “You look too healthy when you had been a depressed half-starved wreck with balmy skin only a few days back.”

Chanyeol sent him a scowl. Sehun had no filter when he spoke, though by now Chanyeol was more or less used to it. “God, no, Sehun. We only ever talk about music.”

“Please don’t tell me you haven’t asked him out yet,” Sehun groaned and threw up his arms. “I have to stand being around you while you talk repeatedly about his oh-so-pretty eyes and perfect lips, looking starry-eyed and so completely whipped, and you haven’t told him anything?!”

Chanyeol sighed. “It’s not that easy.”

“Oh please, don’t give me that,” Sehun scoffed and crossed his arms. “Shy is the last thing that you are. Why, you managed to charm the pants off of mister hottie Dae Wook with your forward…..” then he slapped a hand over his mouth, immediately looking like he regretted even opening his mouth.

“Shit, Chanyeol hyung. I didn’t mean…I’m sorry.”

Chanyeol’s lips had set into a thin line the moment Sehun unconsciously spoke out the name. It had been three months already but the violent burst of emotions that the particular name brought forth and left him aching all over again hadn’t lessened in the slightest. He merely shook his head and gave a watery smile at Sehun’s blubbering apologies before grabbing his iPod and setting out for his night walk as usual.

It was still fairly early and there were one or two people moving around. Chanyeol hastened his pace slightly, wanting to get away from everyone and he didn’t know if he could attribute it to his absolutely rotten luck or if whatever deity above actually wanted to take revenge against him for something he didn’t know but he came across the one person he never even wanted to see.

Lee Dae Wook, 5th year, Sports major, the Captain of the University soccer team and the apple of everyone’s eye. Also, Chanyeol’s asshole of an ex-boyfriend who had cheated on him. Without even wanting to Chanyeol recalled the very vivid image of said “boyfriend” (ex, Chanyeol vehemently reminded himself) fucking a girl against the wall of his room. It had hurt even worse when he later found out that Dae Wook had been double timing with that girl behind his back for quite a while.

Dae Wook, eyes blown wide on seeing Chanyeol, opened his mouth to speak but Chanyeol didn’t wait for it. He did a sharp about-turn and walked in the opposite direction, away from the past he would do anything to forget. His iPod had started playing Metallica’s St. Anger and Chanyeol never thought a song could play at a more appropriate timing.

_I’m madly in anger with you._ Chanyeol almost shouted along with James Hetfield’s voice blaring out in his ears. He calmed down only after the song drew to an end and slowed when he realized he’d been walking hard rapidly and his legs were sore. He exhaled and a wave of overwhelming sadness hit him after. Recalling the times back from when he did nothing but smile and be a doting boyfriend to the guy he foolishly believe to be the One made the ache return. He thought they would last forever. How delusional. His iPod played Fade to Black and he internally sighed. What was up with all the Metallica songs?

He stopped from his aimless wandering when he came face to face with Kyungsoo. He’d expected the other to come out later since he himself had come out rather early so the appearance of the boy took him rather by surprise. Kyungsoo looked just as surprised to see him. They regarded each other silently for a few seconds before Kyungsoo dipped his head and called out an awkward greeting. It was then that Chanyeol noticed the other’s unfocused eyes and a sense of immense melancholia that hung from his small form. A tug at his heartstrings and Chanyeol realized with a start he hated seeing Kyungsoo so sad.

“Do you want to share?” Kyungsoo’s voice was soft as he pulled out one side of his earphones and held it outwards for Chanyeol to grab onto, smile sad but eyes hopeful.

Chanyeol found himself being unable to refuse. As they sat side by side on one of the stone benches that was scattered around the entire campus, the streetlight above giving out a mellow orange glow and sharing the earphones to Kyungsoo’s iPod, Chanyeol was a little surprised when Matthew Healy’s voice started its somber rendition of Somebody Else. He sent a look at his companion and saw Kyungsoo sitting back against the bench, eyes faraway and lips turned down wistfully ever so slightly. He looked away and settled back too, letting the voice of The 1975 vocalist wash over him and tried not to think about Dae Wook. It was a bad idea, he thought, listening to such heavy lyrics when he was trying so hard to heal. A single tear slid out of his eye before he could blink it back and Chanyeol was startled once again when he felt Kyungsoo’s hand find his and give it a little squeeze. Chanyeol didn’t dare turn and look at the other beside him, fearing breaking down completely in front of a person he had just begun warming to. But he returned the gesture and squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand back.

They sat together for a long time, listening to music and basking in the silence. Two broken souls supporting each other without exchanging a single word but yet sharing their troubles through the connection of the words spun in tunes and a heady rhythm. Despite the reopened wounds, Chanyeol felt in peace after a long time. He hoped he could say the same for the boy next to him.

Before they parted, Chanyeol quickly made a new playlist on his iPod and shoved it into Kyungsoo’s hands.

“I’ve added only one song for now. I’ll give you one song every day for one week,” he said when Kyungsoo looked up at him. Chanyeol left out what came after a week had passed because he wanted Kyungsoo to figure it out. It had been a decision on whim, a decision to share more of himself with this companion he had found comfort in. And also a bet on furthering their relationship. But Chanyeol knew he wouldn’t be able to talk about himself directly and that’s why he chose music to do it. A language that he and Kyungsoo seemed to understand better than directly spoken words. His heart hammered harder than it already had been when Kyungsoo looked at him with a knowing smile and put his own iPod in Chanyeol’s hand.

“It’s strange how alike we both think,” he said as he took in Chanyeol’s questioning glance. “I came out to walk early today but I was hoping to run into you.”

It threw off Chanyeol to think that they both had the exact same idea but he nevertheless accepted Kyungsoo’s iPod with shaky hands.

That night, Chanyeol stayed awake listening to the crooning voice of Lorde as she sang Liability through Kyungsoo’s playlist and he found himself wondering what had happened to the boy. The self-deprecation expressed through the solemn lyrics made him wonder if Kyungsoo blamed himself for all that may have happened. He remember them sharing and basking together in the heavy lyrics in Somebody Else and couldn’t help but wonder if he had gone through an ugly split too. He wondered if Kyungsoo was listening to that very song now. For the first song Chanyeol had put into the playlist was Somebody Else again because he wanted to emphasize on it, let Kyungsoo know that what broke him was getting cheated on by his boyfriend. He turned to his side and willed himself to sleep.

....................

Sehun apologized to Chanyeol the next day by making him breakfast and Chanyeol responded by wrapping him up in a tight hug. He hadn’t been angry with the younger boy in the first place because he knew Sehun tended to blabber without thinking through and didn’t mean any harm. Reconciled and in better moods, the both of them headed to class with clearer heads. At least, Chanyeol could pat himself on the back because of the fact that he no longer went about classes mechanically just for the sake of going and recovered himself enough to start taking discreet participation in class activities again.

He saw Kyungsoo for the first time during daytime in the cafeteria that day, seated with a group of people Chanyeol did not know and didn’t want to intrude upon. So he just stuck to giving Kyungsoo a small nod and a greeting smile which the other returned and went to sit with his own friends at another table. They could leave their personal bonding for the night. For the first time in a long time, Chanyeol visited the studio he frequented in and worked on the composition he had left halfway.

That night he and Kyungsoo met up at the stone bench with a resolute purpose in mind and both sat in silence for some minutes, letting each other feel comfortable enough before Kyungsoo opened his mouth first.

“He broke up with me because I became a sort of an emotional burden,” he began, not looking at Chanyeol. “He was younger and found it too hard to handle it all. I dated Kim Jongin, by the way.”

Chanyeol wanted to ask how he became a burden but held himself back. Kyungsoo needed time opening up with everything, as did he. He would wait for the second song. Then the name of Kyungsoo’s ex hit him and he felt a sudden surge of recognition. “Kim Jongin, as in the Dance Major? The 1st year kid?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo’s brows furrowed. “So, you know him?”

“No, not exactly,” Chanyeol corrected hurriedly. “He is friends with my roommate, who is also a 1st year Dance Major. Sehun talks about him sometimes.”

“Ahh, I see,” Kyungsoo nodded, and adjusted the glasses on his nose. “And….who was it that cheated on you?”

Kyungsoo’s voice was careful as he asked the question, unsure about whether it was alright asking so directly. Chanyeol felt a certain gratefulness towards that gesture. “He was a senior. 5th year, Sports major,” he revealed, still rather reluctant to share the name. “Lee Dae Wook. You probably know him, a pretty popular guy.”

Kyungsoo gave him a pained look. “So, you’re the guy Dae Wook cheated on with the Fashion Major girl.”

Chanyeol gave him a look. “So, you knew about it.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip and nodded his head, averting his eyes to the hands on his lap. “My roommate is majoring in Sports too. And he is in the soccer team under Dae Wook. He was the one who told me,” he revealed. “Luhan hyung was pretty angry that day and he ranted it all out to me. I…I never thought it was you who got cheated on.”

Chanyeol felt a wave of gratefulness towards both Kyungsoo and his roommate once again. He gave the boy, who was beginning to look pretty nervous, a comforting smile. “Hey, it’s alright. Why are you so nervous?”

“Sorry,” Kyungsoo readjusted his glasses again and bit his lip once more. Chanyeol’s heart reached out to him, to this nervous pure-hearted guy who had been brave enough to share his own dark secret and empathized with Chanyeol’s as well. And so in order to make things less heavy he asked a more lighthearted question.

“So, Kyungsoo,” he began. “What are you majoring in?”

Kyungsoo smiled, grateful for the change in topic. “Vocal major, 3rd year. What about you?”

“Music major, also 3rd year,” Chanyeol grinned. “I specialize in jazz piano. I also play the guitar.”

That sparked Kyungsoo’s interest and he began asking questions about jazz music, and if jazz piano was harder to play than classical piano. As they talked, Chanyeol found out once again that Kyungsoo had a deep interest in classical music as did he and he made a mental note to share his favorite Beethoven pieces and a jazz playlist one day. They left for their respective rooms that night with lighter hearts, clearer minds and a new song in both playlists.

Chanyeol listened to Matthew Healy’s voice again that night, the next song on Kyungsoo’s playlist being from the band’s newest album. As the soothing rock ballad-ish tones of I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes) clashed with the much darker lyrics, Chanyeol felt his heart clench painfully. If Kyungsoo shared such a song then he couldn’t help but wonder if the soft spoken wide-eyed boy was going through something graver than he initially thought. He remembered Kyungsoo’s words, that he had become too much of an “emotional burden” for young Jongin to handle and felt a sense of heaviness grow in his stomach. He made a guess of what Kyungsoo suffered from. He himself went through something similar. He wondered if Kyungsoo would be able to figure out his cry for help through Seafret’s words from Drown.

.....................

Chanyeol’s mood was relatively more subdued the next day as he went about classes and meals because his mind was more preoccupied with the song from last night. He thought about Kyungsoo and was surprised to find that he was genuinely worried for the Vocal major. It was strange. Chanyeol never got attached so fast. His friends from his major, Yixing and Kris, both seniors, realized something was worrying the boy but didn’t press him to share it with them. Chanyeol was grateful for that, even though Kris put a hand on his shoulder, his perpetually frowning eyebrows furrowing even further as he told the younger boy that he could always share.

“I’ve been going through depression therapy for the past two years now,” like before, Kyungsoo spoke first when they were seated side by side again that night on the cold stone bench. Chanyeol figured it came from the boy’s tendency to get nervous and hence need to get everything done with fast before he panicked. “It’s….much better than it was before frankly but my relationship with Jongin received the brunt of my depressive attacks. I can’t even blame Jongin for not being able to handle it; it was too much to handle. I dumped too much on the poor guy.”

Chanyeol felt an immeasurable sadness come over him. He knew personally how difficult depression was. While it wasn’t as severe, he had gone through it himself. “I’ve gone through something similar myself. I have a lot of self-esteem and trust issues. And it only got worse after the break-up,” he revealed. “I used to take therapy too before I stopped. I think I should restart it again.”

“And…that’s why Seafret’s Drown?” Kyungsoo inquired. “Was it your cry for help?”

Chanyeol smiled thinly. “Yeah,” he said softly. “You know me well.”

They sat in silence after that before Chanyeol came up with another light-hearted topic to lighten the mood.

“My roommate Sehun knows your roommate,” he started casually. Inwardly he smirked at the reaction Sehun had given him when he’d revealed the fact that Kyungsoo roomed with Luhan.

_“You are kidding me. Your boyfriend shares a room with THE Luhan, the soccer fairy?!”_ Sehun had screeched in the midst of Chanyeol muttering something about Kyungsoo not being his boyfriend. _“People say he’s got better skills than Dae….I mean the current soccer captain! Dammit, Chanyeol! Your boyfriend is rooming with my biggest crush and I’m so jealous!”_

“Actually,” Chanyeol began with a snicker. “Sehunnie has the biggest crush on your roommate.”

“Oh,” Kyungsoo gave a broad smile. “That’s interesting. Maybe, we can make them meet each other. Lu hyung is single and pretty lonely any which ways.”

“Let’s do that. We could do it tomorrow itself. Sehun and I don’t have evening classes tomorrow,” Chanyeol began enthusiastically. “Oh wait, I’m getting ahead of myself, I’m sorry. Are you cool with it, Kyungsoo?”

“It’s alright,” Kyungsoo chuckled. “I’m free tomorrow evening as well and Luhan hyung never even has evening classes, lucky him.”  

“So, we’ve got a double-date then,” Chanyeol spoke before he realized and when it dawned upon himself what he had just said he reddened rapidly. “I….I mean, a dinner out.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him, his lips forming the heart Chanyeol loved seeing. “A date it is then.”  

The song in Kyungsoo’s playlist that night wasn’t gloomy. Nor was it about heartbreak. In fact Chanyeol was pleasantly surprised when the first thrumming of the acoustic guitar began and The Paper Kites’ Bloom began playing. A flush crept up his neck when he paid heed to the lyrics, a shy confession of an admirer to his crush. It suited Kyungsoo, he thought. The lyrics were unsure, tentative but still bold enough to ask if he was allowed to be close. He was taken aback by the boy being bolder than he had given him credit for and making the first move. He thought of the song he himself had shared, Brooke Waggoner’s Wonder-Dummied, and wondered if it was pale in comparison to Kyungsoo’s. But it was one of Chanyeol’s personal favorite songs and he hoped Kyungsoo would get what he was trying to say through it, that he would have someone to turn to if he felt the burden growing too unbearable.

The next day, Chanyeol informed Sehun about the double-date and the younger absolutely freaked out. He panicked over the new zits that had broken out on his face and lamented about not having good outfits for a date (Chanyeol raised an eyebrow at that because Sehun’s wardrobe was filled with designer clothes).

“Why couldn’t you tell me yesterday, Hyung?” he whined even as the older dragged him out of the room to class. “Gosh, I feel so unprepared and I’m meeting Lu freaking Han for god’s sake!”

“You’re always asleep when I return from my walks,” Chanyeol deadpanned. “It’s not my fault that you are under-prepared.”

“But you always _return_ so late!” Sehun countered. “God knows what you even do with Kyungsoo hyung all the time.”

“We only talk about music!”

Sehun was uncharacteristically shy when they met up that evening at the popular Korean dinner place in town. Despite all his wails about being under-prepared, he was dressed sprucely in a light green button up shirt and high waist jeans, hair done neatly to one side for once. Chanyeol thought he looked pretty damn attractive plus Sehun had good sense of style.

Luhan was an extremely nice guy, sweet, engaging and friendly. He also had an extremely pretty face as well as doe eyes and Chanyeol could understand why Sehun had such a big crush on him. He had Sehun’s tendency of speaking without a filter however, as Chanyeol soon found out when he’d gone into an angry spiel of insulting Dae Wook and loudly sympathizing with Chanyeol on realizing that Chanyeol was the guy who had got cheated on, until Kyungsoo stopped him with an awkward laugh and a hand to his arm. He’d shown plenty of interest in Sehun even though the usually smart-mouthed guy fumbled with his words and blushed half of the time, causing Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to share secret grins of victory.

The two 3rd years decided then to help Luhan and Sehun take it to the next level (as well as get their own alone time) and quickly excused themselves. They escaped from the diner, despite Sehun’s frantic looks directed towards Chanyeol, who only held up a thumbs-up in response.

The two of them spent the rest of the evening roaming around the streets, trying out the occasional random street food and window-shopping now and then. They then entered a music store where Kyungsoo purchased a physical copy of A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships and Chanyeol commented on the guy’s love for The 1975.

“It’s because I’ve always related with Matthew Healy’s words a lot,” was Kyungsoo’s answer.

They were seated at an ice-cream parlor, relishing on the flavors of the frozen goods when Kyungsoo, spoke up with nervousness in his eyes.

“So, about yesterday’s song,” he began, not looking Chanyeol in the eyes. “What do you…um think?”

Chanyeol felt his face heat up as he recalled The Paper Kites’ lyrics and he fiddled with his fingers. He knew what Kyungsoo was talking about. “I’m interested in being close to you too,” he spoke out a little bluntly and blushed even more. “But….if you don’t mind, can we take it a little slow?”

In contrast to Chanyeol’s fears, Kyungsoo completely understood. He gave his signature heart-smile and his eyes looked genuinely happy. Before going back to eating his butterscotch and chocolate ice-cream sundae, he nodded his head. “Of course, Chanyeol. And also…thank you for your song,” he put a spoon of ice-cream in his mouth before continuing. “That was the first time I’d heard Brooke Waggoner’s song and I really liked it a lot. And….thanks, you know.”

Kyungsoo didn’t need to explain for Chanyeol to understand what he meant. Relieved, Chanyeol gave a smile of his own and concentrated on his ice-cream.

When Chanyeol and Sehun returned to their room that night, they found Kim Jongin waiting for them outside their door. Jongin was an attractive kid and an even better dancer. Chanyeol had seen him a couple of times before, whenever he came to pick Sehun up for classes, to know who he was.

“Yah, Oh Sehun!” Jongin immediately barked when he saw the said guy. “Where were you? We were supposed meet up for that dance history group assignment we were assigned today!”

“Shit, I forgot,” Sehun gave a sheepish laugh. “Sorry, Jongin. Chanyeol hyung and I’d gone out for a double-date with Luhan hyung and Kyungsoo….” Then Sehun slapped a hand over his mouth and nearly bit his own tongue. “…..shit.”

Jongin’s expression immediately changed. “Kyungsoo….you say,” he turned to look at Chanyeol who’d stood silently so far. “So, Chanyeol hyung’s the new guy Kyungsoo has been seeing?”

“Um,” Chanyeol began awkwardly. “Kyungsoo and I aren’t…” he was cut off when Jongin walked forward and grabbed hold of his hands. The younger boy’s lower lip quivered and his eyes were rapidly filling up. Chanyeol’s heart throbbed hard.

“Hyung, please hear me out,” even his voice trembled. “I know Kyungsoo never wants to see me again but can you please….can you please convey one last thing to him?”

Chanyeol sighed. Of course he didn’t have the heart to not listen. “Let’s go inside first, Jongin.”

Once inside, Jongin wept himself dry and kept repeating over and over again how sorry he was for abandoning Kyungsoo during the very time he’d needed him the most, but he was just an inexperienced kid who had no idea of anything and the pressure suffocated him. But break-up hadn’t made him feel any better, and if anything Jongin felt worse because he was constantly wracked with guilt.

“Please tell Kyungsoo that I didn’t mean it! I never wanted to hurt him,” he sobbed. “But I couldn’t do it either. We weren’t for each other.”

Chanyeol felt pained seeing the boy cry so much and he did the only thing that flashed through his mind. He hugged him. “Hush, Jongin. Don’t cry,” he muttered while caressing the weeping boy’s hair. “Kyungsoo doesn’t blame you at all. Please don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“But….can you…can you still tell him that I’m sorry?” Jongin spoke between hiccups. “And….and hyung, promise…promise me you’ll keep him happy?”

Chanyeol smiled at the boy before Sehun whisked him away to his side of the room. “I promise, Jongin.”

He made sure the upset boy was secured with Sehun first before grabbing the iPod, changing into joggers, track pants and a plain black t-shirt and then walking out of the dorm. Kyungsoo, like always, waited for him at the crossroads.

They sat at their usual stone bench and Chanyeol repeated all the events that had taken place and then every of Jongin’s words. Kyungsoo listened to it all in silence. When Chanyeol finished, a soft, fond and sad smile bloomed on the other’s lips.

“Jongin did nothing wrong,” he murmured. “He was always a sensitive boy. I was the one who messed up.”

Chanyeol was the one who took hold of Kyungsoo’s hand this time. “Neither of you are at fault,” he began quietly while giving the hand he was holding a comforting squeeze. “While at the same time both of you had your faults. Don’t beat yourself up either, Kyungsoo.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo sniffled and Chanyeol’s heart twisted for the second time that day. “I’m sorry….for being like this. I’ve always been like this ever since I……I came out as gay and my family shunned me. It gets so hard sometimes, Chanyeol. So damn hard.”

Chanyeol draped an armed around him this time and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for telling me, and trusting me, Kyungsoo,” he murmured while rubbing soothing circles on his back. ‘And don’t apologize.”

Kyungsoo nodded jerkily and pulled away with another sniffle. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay I understand,” Chanyeol smiled and rubbed a thumb under Kyungsoo’s eye. He then looked down at his own lap. “I was made fun of too, when I came out as asexual. When people realized that I was still a virgin. I think, this is why Dae Wook cheated on me.”

Kyungsoo said nothing and merely took Chanyeol’s hand. He interlaced their fingers and they sat together like that for a long time, merely basking in the comfort of each other’s silence and the feel of each other’s hands.

When Chanyeol returned to the room that night, he did so with a song in Kyungsoo’s playlist that wasn’t for him. He listened to Amber Bain’s clear vocals as she sang the words of Clean, a song by The Japanese House, and felt himself smile softly. A song of apology and forgiveness, of removing the guilt from the heart of a friend. Chanyeol dearly hoped it would reach Jongin’s heart and comfort the poor boy. He then thought of the song he himself had shared, Kodaline’s Love Will Set You Free and he hoped Kyungsoo would be comforted at least for that night.

The first thing Chanyeol did the next day was hunt out Jongin from the dance practice room and make him listen to the song Kyungsoo had shared. He sat in silence while the dancer listened and figured out the words. And he held him close in his embrace when the boy dissolved and cried himself free. Jongin thanked Chanyeol profusely over and over again but Chanyeol shook his head, and instead made him promise he would reconcile with Kyungsoo as friends one day.

...........................

“We should go out on another date, you know,” Kyungsoo began nonchalantly, as he swung his legs back and forth while they sat beside each other on their favorite stone bench. “This time just you and me. Alone.”    

For some reason, the way Kyungsoo said the “alone” made Chanyeol blush and feel jittery. It was without question that he wanted to go on a date with the other as well, but he felt nervous. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Kyungsoo but the implications that could easily be behind a single word as well as his hyperactive imagination made him uncomfortable even before the situation took place. Kyungsoo noticed his reaction, or lack thereof, and immediately placed a hand over his.

“Hey, I didn’t mean it that way,” Kyungsoo said with a small, nervous smile. “Of course, I would never do anything that you wouldn’t want. Will you…trust me?”

Chanyeol exhaled, mentally slapping himself for kick-starting Kyungsoo’s own insecurities, and turned to him with a firm nod. “Yeah, I do trust you,” he assured. “It’s just….I’m sorry. It’s just me. I always overthink.”

Kyungsoo, in answer, gave a rosy smile which made Chanyeol’s heart skip a beat. “We are both wound up too tight and I think some loosening up would do us good,” he began speaking with an undertone of excitement to his voice. “While I’m not much of a club person I know a place which plays good synth pop music instead of EDM. Plus the bartender is Luhan hyung’s friend and he knows me so we have an advantage there.”

Chanyeol smiled wide, the excitement of the other boy getting to him too. “Yeah, that sounds awesome.”

“Alright then,” Kyungsoo’s grin got wide enough so that his eyes curved into crescents. “So, we have a date tomorrow.”

While exchanging their songs for the night, Kyungsoo had given him a mischievous wink and Chanyeol couldn’t help but let his curiosity build about what the song was about. Safely tucked away under his blanket, Chanyeol let the song play and unconsciously bobbed his head to the catchy beat of M83’s Do It, Try It that started flowing through his earphones. He almost missed listening to the lyrics but when he paid heed to the words he realized the song was about loosening up and he grinned. Kyungsoo was already trying to get him into the mood. Chanyeol concluded that the other was probably pretty excited. He looked forward to the next day.

.......................

“Let me warn you beforehand though,” Chanyeol pulled at his jacket nervously as he sat beside Kyungsoo on the bus that drove to their destination. He was wearing black ripped jeans that he was extremely fond of and a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket over it, which made him extremely self-conscious. He wasn’t confident of dressing up so extravagantly (only agreeing to don it because Sehun had insisted leather jackets were necessary for clubs) but Kyungsoo had stared at him intensely for the longest time with a sort of hungry glint in his eyes and Chanyeol took that as a good sign. “I can’t handle my drinks well at all, and I’m going to drink only beer because I’m not fond of getting drunk.”

Kyungsoo smiled at that and nodded his head. “Of course, whatever you are comfortable with. I wasn’t planning on drinking much either,” he said with a shrug. In contrast to Chanyeol, he was dressed in classic blue jeans a white t-shirt and denim jacket (which was another one of the reasons why Chanyeol felt over-dressed) and had forgone his glasses for contacts. “We can go and have dinner at the nearby Italian place after the club. I know we both aren’t going to stay that long there amidst pointlessly dancing people.”

Chanyeol laughed at the description Kyungsoo had provided with a comical scrunch to his nose. “Italian sounds good,” he replied. “I love Italian food.”

“Hmm,” Kyungsoo hummed and then looked at Chanyeol with a knowing smile. “By the way, the song you shared last night…..The Royal Concept’s Gimme Twice.”

Chanyeol immediately blushed and looked away. He’d realized that he hadn’t given Kyungsoo a proper confession song after the other had given him The Paper Kites and had chosen The Royal Concept on a moment’s spur of bravery. But he had regretted his choice out of sheer embarrassment when he lay on bed at night and thought through his life choices.

“Marking territories now, are we?” Kyungsoo teased good-naturedly. “I didn’t think you were so possessive and demanding. Claiming me at the get go of your first confession. Are you an alpha wolf by any chance?”

“Shut up,” Chanyeol groaned and put his head in his hands. “It was a spur of the moment thing okay? I wasn’t thinking through when I chose that song, only chose to dwell on what I felt that very moment.”

“Hey, it’s cool,” Kyungsoo reassured with a laugh. “I actually found it really cute. I mean, possessive guys are my type.”

Chanyeol blushed even harder at that and refused to look at Kyungsoo in the eye.

“So….we are a thing now?” he only looked up when Kyungsoo started speaking again in his nervous voice. “Are we….officially dating?”

Chanyeol blinked, and then smiled and took Kyungsoo’s hand. “Yes,” he answered. “And I’m your possessive boyfriend now.”   

They reached the club which was named The Eve and, as Kyungsoo had described, had catchy synth music blasting through the speakers. Chanyeol recognized the song as Slvmber’s Geisha Holographic the moment they entered. Kyungsoo made straight for the bar where the bartender was a man of medium height, sinewy arms with the white sleeves rolled up till his elbows and cat-like eyes. He smiled wide when he caught sight of Kyungsoo.

“Soo-yah!” he called out enthusiastically, accepting the fist-bump the other had held out. “You’re alive! How have you been?”

“It’s been a while, Minseok hyung,” Kyungsoo chuckled. “And I’m good. How about you?”

“Eh, just the usual,” Minseok groaned as he cracked his neck. “Trying to balance between working on my Ph. D plus this. Phew! It’s all so hectic!”

“I sympathize,” Kyungsoo said with a polite smile and then turned to Chanyeol. “Oh, by the way, Hyung. Meet Park Chanyeol, my boyfriend. Chanyeol, meet Minseok hyung.”

Chanyeol held out a hand, trying his best not to break out in an idiotic grin because Kyungsoo had just called him his boyfriend. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Ah, handsome aren’t you?” Minseok returned the handshake with a flirtatious smile. “Pleasure is mine, Chanyeol. So, what can I get you two?”

“I’m in the mood for cocktails today,” Kyungsoo answered as he slid himself into one of the high seats of the bar. “Can I get a piña colada please?”

“Right away, and you Chanyeol?”

“Uh, just a mug of beer would be fine.”

As they waited for their drinks to arrive, the two of them sat and observed the number of people that swayed aimlessly on the dance floor, changing their movements every time the song changed. The song had shifted from Slvmber to a Chainsmokers song. Chanyeol was pretty sure it was called All We Know. His knowledge of alternative electro-pop was limited.

“You’re right, Soo,” he muttered, grabbing the other’s attention. “They really do look so pointless, dancing like that.” To which Kyungsoo laughed.

Minseok arrived with their drinks, and the two of them engaged into conversation while taking sips in between. When they talked, they never ran out of topics. It was weird, considering how often they hung out and just indulged in nerd talks. The song shifted yet again and started with the melodious and catchy “what ifs” of Troye Sivan’s Youth. Kyungsoo’s ears perked up immediately.

“Not synth pop but I love his songs,” he grinned wide and hurriedly downed the remaining of his drink. “If you’ll excuse me I’m going to do a bit of pointless dancing myself.”

Chanyeol wouldn’t have thought Kyungsoo even danced in clubs but the boy had proven him wrong yet again. He was beginning to lose track of all the things the other boy had kept surprising him with and it just worked to excite him further for their new blooming relationship.

Kyungsoo faced him while he danced, eyes closed and body swaying to the song’s rhythm. He also mouthed along the lyrics, a corner of his lips quirked up in a slight smile. Chanyeol was mesmerized with the way his body moved and didn’t take his eyes off even once as he drank his beer. They played another of Troye Sivan’s songs before changing and M83’s Midnight City started blaring out of the speakers. Kyungsoo’s smile got wider and he bobbed his head a little bit more insistently.

M83 reminded Chanyeol of the song from the previous night and he finished the remaining beer. He recalled the lyrics and found his body moving in its own accord. He blamed it on the alcohol in his system, but before long he had risen from the seat and was rapidly making his way towards the dancing form of Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo caught sight of him and grinned. Wordlessly, he held out his hand, inviting the other to dance but Chanyeol stepped in even closer and wrapped an arm around the other’s waist. Ignoring the amused look Kyungsoo was giving him, Chanyeol hoisted him up slightly to his tip-toes and dipped his head to capture the other’s lips in a deep kiss. An electric shock passed through him when Kyungsoo eagerly responded by wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck and pressing even harder. They stood like that while the rest of the world faded out, just kissing and sucking each other’s lips, tongues pushing and prodding into each other’s mouth. Kyungsoo tasted of pineapple and rum from the drink earlier as well as something much more uniquely “him” and Chanyeol felt intoxicated. When they pulled away, Chanyeol was breathing heavily, his forehead resting against Kyungsoo’s while the other’s eyes were hooded and dreamy. Kyungsoo pecked Chanyeol’s lips once before whispering a “let’s go” against them.

After paying Minseok, the two went out of the noisy place, veins still buzzing with adrenaline and lips still tingling. They walked quietly, neither talking about the kiss but Chanyeol caught sight of the small elated smile that seemed transfixed on Kyungsoo’s lips. He was pretty sure he himself was smiling like an idiot. Sneakily, he reached out and laced his fingers with the other and internally squealed when Kyungsoo squeezed his hand.

“So,” Kyungsoo began, trying to play it off as very casual but failing to because the smile on his lips widened a bit too much. “What say we have vongole for dinner?”

Chanyeol grinned and leaned over to give Kyungsoo a quick peck before eagerly nodding his head. “Great! I’m in seafood mood today.”

When they returned to the university, Chanyeol who had suddenly developed his clingy doting boyfriend side once more, hugged Kyungsoo warmly and dropped soft butterfly kisses on his lips until he giggled before bidding a temporary goodbye and bounding up to his room with a spring in his step. He was so happy that he even greeted Sehun with a very animated smile much to the latter’s suspicion. He was also too happy to be surprised with the fact that Luhan was in the room, sitting beside Sehun on his narrow bed.

“I see that our Yeollie’s day has gone well today,” Luhan teased with a good-natured smile when Chanyeol greeted him as well in the same animated manner. “How was the date? Kyungsoo was very nervous about it.”

Chanyeol merely hummed as he grabbed hold of his towel and pulled out a few of his more comfortable clothes and body wash in order to freshen up. “It was great hyung. We had vongole for dinner.”

“Why vongole?” Luhan said in mock disappointment. “You should have had Kyungsoo for dinner instead.”

It was a horrible joke but Chanyeol still laughed heartily and then excused himself to go to the washrooms amidst Sehun exclaiming in astonishment to Luhan about how Chanyeol never laughed at _his_ perverted jokes and how come Luhan had gotten a laugh out of him.

In their nightly rendezvous, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo sat side by side on the stone bench pressed close against each other and sharing earphones once again. Their fingers intertwined the whole time and stealing giddy smiles at each other they nodded their heads in unison as well as sang out loud some of the lyrics while listening to Chanyeol’s playlist of famous 90s rock love songs. They both concluded it was an extremely cheesy thing to do but it was their way of sharing the mutual excitement of finally being in a relationship without outwardly expressing it for everyone in the world to see.

When they parted for the night, it was with a new song in their playlists like usual as well as a soft kiss of a loving goodnight.

Chanyeol listened to the song that Kyungsoo had given him and tried to figure out the meaning behind the lyrics of Blossom’s Between the Eyes. Blossom was a band known for having obscure lyrics, courtesy of Tom Ogden’s penchant for experimenting with words and phrases. He’d once read in an interview that Between the Eyes was a song that talked about coming into a fresh relationship and the excitement that came with it, yet it had a clever twist to it which, Ogden admitted, was more of an Alex Turner thing to do but never specified what that particular “twist” was. As Chanyeol followed the lyrics while listening to the song for a second time, he wondered if the said twist was about the fact that the lover had been broken by a previous relationship but still felt the excitement and giddiness while coming into a newer one despite the reluctance and the insecurities. In contrast to the cryptic song Kyungsoo had given him, Chanyeol’s own song was pretty straightforward. Foster the People’s I Would Do Anything for You spoke exactly of the feelings Chanyeol had the moment he decided he actually did want to be with Kyungsoo. Then again he was never a cryptic person in the first place, and he liked to makes the ones he loved happy.

.........................

Things were getting better for Chanyeol in huge leaps. He hardly even thought about Dae Wook now, even though whenever he did the bitterness never seemed to lessen in magnitude. He smiled more often and he lived everyday looking forward to something or the other. He realized it all when he sat beside Yixing and Kris in the cafeteria as usual and Yixing commented with a warm smile about how Chanyeol looked much better than he had in a long time. They knew that he was dating since Chanyeol had informed them of it and now they pestered him to introduce him to “the miracle of a boyfriend who’d pulled their Chanyeol out of the darkness when none of them could”. They wouldn’t let him rest until he promised.

“My friends, Yixing hyung and Kris hyung want to meet you,” Chanyeol told him that night when they were seated next to each other on the bench as usual. “They took care of me when I was a freshman and that’s why they are pretty over-protective of me. They want to meet you so that they can thank you for…you know, helping me out of it all.”

“They sound like great people,” Kyungsoo told him with a smile. “I would love to meet them.”

“They are really amazing, and so smart that sometimes I wonder why they even like hanging out with me,” Chanyeol said enthusiastically. “I mean, Yixing hyung is the best classical pianist in the department _plus_ he knows a multitude of other instruments as well as self-produced and wrote a hundred songs already. Kris hyung is also a composing genius plus better at basketball than even most of the Sports majors.” His tone was fond and light as he spoke about them. “I mean, it’s ridiculous they like me, a junior, so much. Kris hyung was so enraged when…you know, the thing with me happened and he wanted to stalk to the Sports department immediately and bash the shit out of Dae Wook. It was scary.”

“It’s because you are amazing in your own rights Chanyeol and they realize it too,” Kyungsoo’s voice was warm as he took Chanyeol’s hand in his smaller ones. “And it’s because you are so amazing that I don’t regret falling for you and want to give in my all into making this relationship work.”

This was the first time Kyungsoo spoke so openly about his feelings without having to share music and Chanyeol, in all honesty, felt touched. He lowered his head a bit bashfully and kissed Kyungsoo’s hand. “You are amazing too, Kyungsoo. And I don’t regret liking you one bit.”

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo’s voice was soft and he leaned his head to put it on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “My friends want to meet you too.”

“Oh?” Chanyeol smiled. “And do they dote on you as well?”

“They dote a bit too much,” Kyungsoo groaned and buried his face against Chanyeol’s shoulder, causing the other to burst out laughing. “I mean Junmyeon hyung is a 5th year senior and it’s not like he isn’t popular but he still chooses to hang out with us. He thinks he is my mother. And then of course there are Baekhyun and Jongdae, my classmates and best friends who _demand_ to know of everything that’s got to do with my life. They want to meet you to see if you are good enough for me.”

Despite the complaints, Chanyeol noticed the fondness in Kyungsoo’s voice and he could tell that those friends meant a lot to him. He squeezed his hand and laid his head on top of Kyungsoo’s on his shoulder. “Sure, I would love to meet them. Maybe we can all meet someday, along with Sehun and Luhan hyung as well.”

“Maybe we can go together to The Eve too,” Kyungsoo smiled. “Minseok hyung gets lonely sometimes and he could do with company as well as customers.”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol muttered softly as he pressed his lips on top of Kyungsoo’s head. “Let’s do that.”

They shared the last songs in the week-long playlist that night. Even though he had already known Kyungsoo’s answer, he still couldn’t stop the full smile that bloomed on his face as the BØRNS vocalist’s voice rang out in his usual upbeat tones and sang the lyrics to Past Lives. The lyrics were extremely doting and chock-filled with a confident love and Chanyeol thought maybe it was a side that Kyungsoo hid but which was a part of him nevertheless. If Chanyeol had any lingering doubts about their relationship, they were all wiped away when he heard Kyungsoo say through Garett Borns’ voice that they were destiny and he had been waiting for too long for this. He hoped that he himself had executed a sliver of the same confidence through Cigarettes after Sex’s Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby, the last song he had shared. He wanted it to be a sort of a closure to Kyungsoo, a promise that he, Chanyeol, was going to be there for him through all his nightmares. He thought the song’s music and vibe suited the “last song” tag well too.

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, with a smile on his face and dreams showing a smiling Kyungsoo who never left his side.

**_Epilogue_ **

The years had passed by in a flash, and Chanyeol found himself reminiscing as he thought about everything from when it had all first began. His earphones plugged in and playing the upbeat David Bowie Modern Love, he looked out of the window of the bus he was taking after goodness knew how long and recalled the frequent dates he and Kyungsoo escaped to during their university years. He recalled a certain club that played synth pop instead of EDM and a cat-eyed good-natured bartender. He still blushed and smiled when he thought about the first kiss he and Kyungsoo had shared under the mellow neon lights of the dance floor while M83 played in the background.

Their dating years hadn’t always been fun and games. Both were individuals who carried scars in their hearts that took its sweet time to heal. Kyungsoo had sudden depressive bouts and Chanyeol was frequently plagued with thoughts that his own low self-esteem would smother and kill him. Sometimes Kyungsoo would lie almost lifeless, immeasurable sadness rolling off his small form in waves and Chanyeol would do all he could to support him through those times. Sometimes they had ugly fights that were born out of Chanyeol’s never-ending plethora of insecurities. When he thought about it now, he realized how much they both had strengthened each other with their weaknesses and Chanyeol couldn’t help but chuckle at the sweet irony.

The bus stopped just then, announcing his destination and Chanyeol got off. He walked steadily to The Eve that had become a place of constant, a safe haven where they could all gather together without fail despite all of them now working full time. The catchy synth pop music hit him the moment he pushed open the doors and he couldn’t help but smile when he saw the bunch seated at Minseok’s bar, conversing animatedly with the friendly bartender. They all looked up with delighted smiles when Chanyeol made his way towards them.

“There you are,” Baekhyun exclaimed. “What even took you so long? You are the guest of honor.”

“Work calls,” Chanyeol answered while exchanging a fist bump with Minseok, Kris and Luhan and accepting the bear hugs from Yixing, Sehun and a very elated Jongin. “I hurried as soon as they let me out.”

“Where’s Kyungsoo?” Junmyeon asked while he hugged Chanyeol in his turn and Chanyeol had to laugh at the way Jongdae rolled his eyes at the question.

“Hyung, you forgot they have different jobs,” he chided. “Kyungsoo’s probably busy, give the poor guy some space from all your mothering.”

“Is it so wrong for me to even wonder about Kyungsoo?” Junmyeon shot back with a frown.

“Well, it’s definitely wrong for you not to ask about Chanyeol’s well-being either,” Minseok teased and Junmyeon immediately went red in face and mumbled an apology.

“It’s alright, hyung,” Chanyeol reassured with a smile. “As for Kyungsoo, he informed me that work just got over and he is on his way.”

“Did he choose yet?” Baekhyun leaned forward in anticipation as he asked, eyes wide and demanding. “Did he tell you who he chose?”

“Uh…He didn’t…”

“He definitely chose me,” Jongdae began with confidence. “I’ve been his best friend all throughout university. It’s definitely me.”

“Please,” Baekhyun scoffed. “I’ve been his best friend for even longer.” And like always the two of them ended up bickering while the rest of the others face-palmed.

“I’m pretty sure if he had to choose though, Kyungsoo would choose Jongin,” Chanyeol stated casually and Jongin’s head perked up like an excited puppy.

“No! He can’t do that!” Baekhyun and Jongdae shouted at the same time and then immediately glared at each other before bickering once more.

“What about you, Chanyeol?” Luhan asked casually. “Have you thought of who to choose?”

Numerous pairs of eyes immediately turned to him, giving him expectant looks and Chanyeol nearly shrunk into himself from feeling rather intimidated. He rubbed the plain golden ring on his finger absently and decided that a lottery would be the safest way out. Before he could open his mouth to share his thoughts though, the doors of the bar were pushed open.

“Sorry, guys,” Kyungsoo spoke in a slightly breathless voice. “I hope I’m not too late.”

As Chanyeol turned, as did the rest of them, to look at him, he was struck again by how lucky he was to belong to probably the best guy in the entire world. Kyungsoo smiled his heart-shaped smile when their eyes met, and started making his way towards them. When he laid a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder, the lights in the bar glinted off the surface of a golden ring on his finger identical to the one Chanyeol himself wore and the latter couldn’t help but smile widely. Kyungsoo, his boyfriend and soon-to-be significant other, leaned down and quickly placed a kiss on his lips before turning to the others with a broad smile. “What did I miss?”

**_Fin_ **

 

  

**Author's Note:**

> And.....ChanSoo are getting married!!!!! Only in my fic though, sigh! And if it wasn't clear what Baekhyun and Jongdae were arguing about, it was of course about who was going to be Kyungie's Best Man. I still feel horrible about not adding Tao.
> 
> The reason i portrayed Kyungsoo's depression the way I did is because there are several forms and I know a few friends personally who go through it but you would never even know because they hide it so well. And about Chanyeol's case, it's things that i suffer from myself so yeah. I hope I didn't make too many mistakes.
> 
> Kyungsoo's playlist:  
> 1\. Lorde – Liability  
> 2\. The 1975 – I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)  
> 3\. The Paper Kites – Bloom  
> 4\. The Japanese House – Clean  
> 5\. M83 – Do It, Try It  
> 6\. Blossoms – Between the Eyes  
> 7\. BØRNS – Past Lives
> 
> Chanyeol's Playlist:  
> 1\. The 1975 – Somebody Else  
> 2\. Seafret – Drown  
> 3\. Brooke Waggoner – Wonder-Dummied  
> 4\. Kodaline – Love Will Set You Free  
> 5\. The Royal Concept – Gimme Twice  
> 6\. Foster the People – I Would Do Anything For You  
> 7\. Cigarettes After Sex – Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby
> 
> EXtras: M83 – Midnight City, Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent, Metallica – St. Anger, Metallica - Fade to Black, Troye Sivan – Youth, Arctic Monkeys - Knee Socks, Slvmber - Geisha Holographic, The Chainsmokers feat. Phoebe Ryan - All We Know, David Bowie - Modern Love
> 
> Thank you, Eris and EXO. I hope you guys liked this fic. It has a huge piece of my heart in it and several pretty personal stuff that I shared too. Lots of Love and your support is always received with immense gratitude. Saranghaja <3


End file.
